No fewer than 1,056 youths recruited as constabularies into the Nigeria Police to assist in maintaining security in Kwara state on Saturday protested non payment of salaries.
The protesters who stormed strategic areas like Post Office, Challenge and Ahmadu Bello Way, called on the state government to “pay our 18 months salaries since the completion of training in April 2021”.
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Video of the incident went viral in the state on Saturday.
Commissioner for Communication, Olabode Towoju, said that the protesters were to be taken care of by the local governments.
According to him, “the Constabularies are not directly been paid by the state government. They are being taken care of by the local governments which have been them their stipends.”
Meanwhile, while reacting to the issue, the Kwara State Police Command said the protesters were briefed that the special constabularies was meant to be voluntary before they took the job.
“Due to the complaints of the constabularies regarding non payment of stipends by the state government, the constabularies were invited for a meeting by the state government on ways by which their complains could be looked into, hence their invite to the government house today.
“The police is not owing any policeman or woman any salary, neither is the police owing the special constabularies salary.
“Therefore, members of the public are advised to disregard the viral video as it was designed to embarrass the police and also to draw an undue sympathy from the public.
“The men and women of the special constabulary are at liberty to honorably disengage from the service if they so wish”, police spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi, added.
